(CNN)- The Live Earth concerts across the globe on Saturday were not the only realm where the issue of climate change was being addressed. The Democratic presidential candidates all participated in a "virtual" town hall meeting sponsored by the group MoveOn.

According to the group, the candidates took questions from members in advance, and their answers were sent to over 1,300 house parties that were to take place on Saturday. Partygoers would watch the Live Earth concerts after watching the candidates answer questions, MoveOn said.

"What I've proposed and will be detailing in the next several weeks is a system in which you have a cap and trade system that also auctions off the permits," said Illinois Senator Barack Obama, "so that we are getting the sorts of investment in creating a market for clean technologies but we're also generating billions of dollars each and every year that we can devote to the sort of Apollo Project or Manhattan Project on clean energy."

Bill Richardson said he would create a separate agency in his administration to deal with the issue. "I would create within the White House a cabinet level agency and a prestige individual to head it up," the New Mexico governor said. "But it would be run by me, the President, because I believe it's going to require presidential leadership to get it through the Congress."

Members were asked to go online after listening to the candidates and vote for the best plan. MoveOn said the results would be released on Wednesday, July 11.

soundoff(7 Responses)

cap and trade would be the best method to deal with the issue. Its a win-win for both sides and its a market based approach so the market determines the price, its not a perfect system but its best way to regulate.